good morning. breaking news. finally free. the american war vet held for six weeks in north korea headed home today. >> just glad to be on my way home. >> we have live with the latest. deadly and dangerous. a massive storm system making its way acrs the country. now responsible for at least ten deaths. travel is becomes near impossible as hundreds of flights are grounded a. remembering nelson mandela. two days after his death, the crowds continue to grow celebrating a fearless man who

taught the world about the power of reconciliation. this as his country and the world prepare to honor one of the nation's greatest leaders. saturday, september 7th, 2013. from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today" with lester holt live from south africa, and erica hill live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> reporter: good morning. welcome to "today" on this saturday morning. i'm lester holt in south africa. >> i'm erica hill here in studio 1a with jenna wolf and diagonally diagonally. we are happy you're back. >> i didn't want to come back unless a big news day. >> you were waiting for the big day. lefter is going to be with us

from south africa as we cover what shais happening in south africa. >> jenna, welcome. behind me is the mandela house. the house that he lived from in the mid '40s until the early '60s. it is now a museum in this sprawling township near johannesburg, south africa. a lot of people celebratinging his life and people breaking out in dance and songs and drums and show you more from here as we continue. walk you through what is to come as this country is in a period of mourning. tomorrow is a national day of prayer and reflection in south africa. they are asked to gather mandela and his contribution to their country their world through his xamp example -- the world. the country is in ten days of mourning and in the end thousands are expected to attend

the state funeral slated to happen next sunday, december 15th. we have also learned that at least three u.s. presidents will travel to south africa to pay their respects. presidents barack obama, george w. bush, and bill clinton will attend some of the services scheduled for this week. we don't have the exact time line or schedule, but they plan to be here. we will have much more from here but i know you're tracking breaking news in the state, erica. back to you. >> thank you, lester. today's top story. the american veteran merrill newman will be home are his family in california in a matter of house. he has been held prison in north korea for weeks. late last night he was relieved and quickly began that trip home. ian williams is tracking the developments for us this morning from beijing. ian, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. merrill newman is now a free man after north korea deported him

on the first available fleight out of pyongyang. >> i'm very glad to be on my way home. i appreciate the tolerance the dprk government has gave me to be on my way. >> reporter: he also said that he was particularly grateful to the north koreans for releasing him and he was looking forward to seeing his wife. the north koreans said they leaved him because of his age and also because of his ill health. he has a heart condition. they also said they were responding to his apology, his so-called apology. now, this was something that he did live on television a week or so ago. he wrote -- he read from a written confession. now, this appeared to be something that might have been written for him or it could well have been something which he was coerced into doing. it wasn't clear. in fact, he didn't respond to that this morning when he

arrived at beijing airport. he was led out of the airport in the company of u.s. diplomats from the embassy. they did say that joe biden had offered to give him a lift out on air force two. in the end, he decided to at that time direct route on a commercial flight and he would arrive in san francisco to be united with his family in just a few hours from now, erica. >> i'm sure they are looking forward to having him back with them. ian williams for us this morning in beijing, thank you. turning to the bitter blast of cold and snow wreaking havoc across the country. at least ten people have been killed and there is another storm right behind this one. mark potter is in memphis this morning with the very latest. tough conditions there, mark. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. because of the cold temperatures overnight and this is what i'm talking about, you can see and even hear the ice on these now brittle plants. memphis has had to change its weekend plans. it was scheduled to host a big marathon here with some 20,000 runners coming here to raise

money for st. jude's hospital but because of the icy conditions overnight, they have had to cancel that race and several christmas parades have also been postponed. now, this early winter blast has been felt around the country starting out west in oregon, very heavy snows there and snarled traffic and caused traffic jams. in california, growers are now assessing whether there has been any apreshable damage to the citrus $12 billion crop, they have worked hard to protect. in the san francisco bay area, officials report finding four homeless people who died from hypothermia. in texas, freezing conditions there closed schools and businesses and left a 225,000 people without power at the dallas/ft. worth airport yesterday and 1,000 flights were canceled. in the midwest, ohio and other states suffering through heavy snow and arkansas has lots of slippery roads. overall, it's been a cold weather mess heading from

coast-to-coast. it's also been dangerous, as you said. now ten confirmed deaths have been blamed on this storm. erica? >> mark potter, thank you. dylan is back in new york this morning after spending the last several days out there in the elements essentially moving along with the storm. you're tracking the storm for us this morning and the ripple effect is enormous as well. >> i don't know how i made it out of ft. smith, arkansas, yesterday. whiteout conditions and ice and somehow the crew deiced the plane and we made it out. we are seeing now the remnants of storm number one. there is going to be a second storm that i'll show you in a second. a few lighter showers and heavier downpours and here is the second storm. the snow is pretty intense across the highest elevations back in california. that is what is going to start moving eastward. we will see some snow in salt lake city through the day today. but then tomorrow morning, the snow fills in through the northern plains and then moves up into minneapolis and into the chicago area as well. watch what happens, though, by 10:00 p.m. on sunday, we are

looking at snow in new york c y city, however, it is going to change over to rain as we go into sunday night and monday. for today, though, we do have several winter storm warnings and the higher elevation moving into the rockies through the day today. and we are going to see the threat possibly in aspen 9 to 12 inches of snow. i want to show you what happens as we go through the rest of the weekend. we are going to see some moderate amounts of snow through the northern plains and western great lakes as we go into tomorrow morning. then we are going to see some ice. perhaps a tenth of an inch to a quarter of an inch from ohio to virginia even raleigh, north carolina could have a coating of ice. sunday night and monday the snow accumulates with as much as nine inches of know? especially in new england. we will watch it throughout the weekend. lester? >> dylan, thanks. >> reporter: two days after his death, the mood in south africa is still a mix of celebration

and mourning. as we noted, people here in the streets, many of them families and those who lived unapartheid and children who only know it from the history books and understand the significance of nelson mandela and his passing. keir simmons is here now with more on how folks here are honoring his memory. >> reporter: that's right. what you hear across this country and from people you speak to on these very streets is the importance of continuing nelson mandela's legacy. you see the way parents are taking their children by the hand and leading them here to nelson mandela's former home and giving them the message that he brought to south africa. they are singing, they are dancing, they are celebrating him but the very streets where they are dancing, remember people died here in the fight against apartheid, young people were shot dead on these very streets. their parents are bringing their children to remember nelson mandela and you see people here lived through that and they knew nelson mandela.

i met one grandmother who helped one of nelson mandela's children while he was in prison. i went to a church service this morning and church services will be held across this country this week where they were singing in praise of africa and i stood there and saw these pews full. people sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, not a seat spare. i thought that is mandela's south africa. as he would want it standing together and celebrating him and looking forward to the future. >> i've only been on the ground five hours but it's remarkable to watch the outpouring here. keir simmons, thank you very much. the empire state building was lit on friday night in the colors of the south african flags as tributes from every corner of the world continued to pour in. ♪ >> reporter: across the country, and across the globe, people have been sharing both their grief and their gratitude for nelson mandela.

>> he was the icon of the revolution. >> reporter: a normally bustling wall street took a moment of silence on the floor of the new york stock exchange on friday. while in england, tears for the anti-apartheid leader and make-shift memorial in london. memorials sprung up in literally every corner of the globe from paris to pakistan buenos aires to china. they paid respects in ukraine. the soccer stadiums even had tributes. iconic monuments like the empire state building and eiffel talker and others shine the colors of the south african flag. back in atlanta, the memorial was small, but a woman born in south africa says it makes her feel connected. >> it reminds me i'm not the only one that is grieving, you know? that people from the u.s., people from china, people from wherever are grieving as well, and that is really beautiful to me.

>> reporter: some of the tributes and thoughts we will be hearing in the days to come here and around the world. no doubt that everyone has a story from that time. reverend jesse jackson was in capetown, south africa, the day that nelson mandela was released from prison. thanks for coming on with us, reverend. >> good morning, lester. >> reporter: take me back to the day in capetown 23 years ago. i think the world held its breath not knowing which way things would go when mandela rah released. what rur memoriare your memorie? >> he was challenging that kinship between the u.s. and britain and south africa to end their apartheid regime. he was put on the terrorist list and to his lasting credit, president george bush kicked him off the terrorist list july 1st, 2008, for that long. yet, through all of that, he made some tough choices. a wonderful moment of receiving him. he was so clear on what his

options were and he chose, at that time, reconciliation over revenge and retaliation. that was when we took his struggle to another moral plane. >> reverend jackson, i think you made this point at the time that he was released while he was free from jail he was not a free man because he was a black man in south africa at the time. was it clear to you that reconciliation would take place and if this would bring about change? >> it was clear to me that he knew that honor ian suffering was redempive. he knew if he went another way there would be an ending blood bath and terrorist war inside south africa. he really wanted -- he would not allow the suffering he had gone through to deter his vision from a nonracist apartheid -- a nonracist south africa. i remember talking to him on one occasion, lester. the thing that stands out in my mind, asked him when he was caught in jail. he said he came the command of

the military force he and oliver tumbo and blowing up railroads to get south africa's attention. the demonstration and legal approach would not work and they were moving to -- the school. he said he was so glad they were called because he would spend 27 years in jail than the innocent blood on his hand. that shows to me the soul of the man. >> reporter: i want to get your thoughts as someone who has walked among civil rights giants and nelson mandela, and martin luther king. how aware were the two of them aware to their roles in the struggles? >> dr. king went to jail in '63 and so did nelson mandela. dr. king in his address referenced the struggle in south africa. the kinship from the american corporations and south africa and our government that was a part of it. also the things that we did here enabled mandela's freedom.

for example, the '65 riots act that changed the course in this country. blacks could vote for the first time in the south and women could vote and you could vote on campuses and bilanguagebilangua. it clouded the sanctions on south africa led by congressman randell o. it seems to me our struggle and their struggle coincided very well. >> reporter: we appreciate your thoughts on this day, remembering nelson mandela. thank you. >> i'll see you before the week is over. >> reporter: all right. look forward to it. let's head back to new york now and erica. >> lester, thanks. we want to turn to encour e encouraging news when it comes to the economy. the unemployment rate has turned to its lowest rate in five years. kristen welker has more. >> reporter: the economy added 203,000 jobs in november. surprising some economists say, especially in the wake of the government shutdown and they say

it could be an indication the recovery is about to take off, despite the political gridlock here in the nation's capital. neil bloomen that is all launched up this eye store three years ago in new york. these days he sees signs the economy is recovering. >> we have more than doubled in sales and next year, we are planning to high about 150 people. >> reporter: that hiring trend reflects what is happening throughout the country with news friday that employers added more than 200,000 jobs for each of the last four months. in november, many were good paying jobs. 40,000 in education and health care. 27,000 manufacturing jobs added. 17,000 construction jobs. >> now we are getting consistent job reports plus 200 and that is positive and positive not only for the economy but it should be forpositive for people should start to feel generally better that conditions are, in fact, improving. >> reporter: on closer look, the unemployment rate for adult men

at 6.7%. for women, 6.2%. but the numbers are higher for african-americans and teenagers but they -- >> it's quite clear the u.s. economy pays attention to what washington is doing but this is an unpredictable business and makes it interesting but it makes it hard to know sort of what washington does in the next week, months, or year. what that means for sort of how much the economy can recover and at what rate. >> reporter: while there may be political uncertainty, for the time being, there is only good news for those like recent college grad eddie christian who just landed his first job. >> i look at this as sort of a career, not just a job. >> reporter: now republicans and democrats are currently fighting over whether to extend unemployment insurance for millions of americans, but they are not fighting over whether there should be new tax cuts or spending hikes, which should

also bode well for the recovery. erica. >> kristen welker in washington this morning at the white house, thanks. we want to get a check of the rest of the morning's top stories. i'm happy to say. >> say it, say it. >> jenna is here with us! >> thank you for saying it. >> welcome back. >> i'm just kidding. it's really good to be back. >> we missed you. >> loved when the alarm went off this morning. loved putting on a dress. i've been wearing dresses every day the last three months and the whole thing. no, it's great to be back. good morning, everyone. officials at new york's metro north railroad working this morning to identify places along the tracks where there are major speed changes. the order comes from federal transportation officials following sunday's deadly trail derailment in the bronx. they are asked to overhaul their signal system so it will slow down trains if the engineer fails to do so. a surprise visit to afghanistan this morning from u.s. defense secretary chuck hagel. he landed in kabul for unannounced visit and now it's

announced. the pentagon says he is there to thank troops for their service and commend the progress they have made in afghanistan this year. update on a story we told you about here on "today." you remember the video of a chaotic traffic stop in new mexico back in october? a woman was stopped for speeding after getting into an argument with the officer. she drove off. resulting in a police chase that ended with the officer firing several rounds into the woman's car full of children. well, that officer who opened fire on the minivan montoya has since been fired. six men tested for possible radiation exposure are out of the hospital this morning but still in police custody. of the six, the state health department said only one showed signs of radiation exposure but in good health. they were carrying highly

radioactive cobalt-60. we being us, he being the president, we lit our rock center tree on wednesday. last night, the president did the honors. he lit a 31-foot tall colorado broou spruce. it was pouring rain, thank you, dylan dreyer. the soaked crowd did not care, nor did the president. apparently the president danced a little jig with a little efl under the ginormous tree and then he had a few things to say. >> how did it feel? >> it felt like riding a bike? >> my bike had 18 wheels on it. i mispronounced 18 words. >> not as funny as i was hoping. kidding! >> meaning she didn't appreciate you throwing her under the bus for the rain. >> i apologize. we are looking at really cold temperatures. we have the jet stream that is dipping all the way down into texas and we have temperatures well below average. look at some of our afternoon

highs. as we go through the day, 10 below in parts of the northern plains. about 0 in south dakota. even teens and 20s stretching all the way down into northern texas and it is going to remain cold for quite some time as that arctic air continues to filter in. we are going to see the snow move out of california and eventually across the rockies, especially later on today. this rain, though, down across the southeast is finally going to exit also later on today, where we are getting a nice break as right through oklahoma, into arkansas, but certainly no melting after all of that ice with temperatures well below freezing and only top out in the 20s and lower 30s. mother nature not opening out with the icing o well, we have some really heavy rainfall overnight. now we are getting a mixture of rain and snow down to low levels. good morning to you. as you can see, the front is currently moving into the bay area. it's going to be out of here quickly.

the next few hours, temperatures are going to be cold. we picked up an inch of rain in some places. we are concerned a lot of the rain will freeze. please travel cautiously. we are at 33 degrees in santa rosa. that is your latest forecast. >> still to come, a second grader is planning to make sure everyone has a buddy at recess and now it's catching on across the country. but, first, this is "today" on nbc. [ wind howling ] [ female announcer ] it balances you... [ water crashing ] ...it fills you with energy... and it gives you what you are looking for to live a more natural life. in a convenient two bar pack. this is nature valley... delicious granola bars made with the best ingredients in nature. nature valley. nature at its most delicious.

is there a lot more to come from new york and south africa. we will have the story behind one of the most iconic images of apartheid in south africa that took

it is cold outside. good morning and thanks for joining us on this chilly saturdays morning. dangerous cold temperatures, but a pretty picture of san francisco. thanks so much more joining us. meteorologist kristina loren has the look at the forecast. >> good morning to you. happy saturday. we have quite a bit of action on the radar. let's take it to the view and give you an idea of how cold it is. most of the moisture is coming out of the bay area. the next few hours, temperatures are going to continue to drop off. that means all the rain we accumulated could freeze.

out on the roadways, especially the north bay, up to an inch of rain. take it easy out there. we are going continue to drop off. 33 degrees, one degree above freezing. remember, if you want the seven day forecast, it's on the bottom of the screen. the temperatures will keep dropping. we are going to keep following the numbers for you. stick with us here on nbc bay area. back to you. >> thank you. the cold snap shows no mercy and killed four homeless people. county officials are urging those in the cold to head to shelter. on any given night, there are 7,000 homeless people on the street. the challenge is finding space for everyone when there are 6 beds in three shelters. if many different reasons, people refuse to take shelter instead choose to battle the elements. all the shelters will remain

open for the weekend. they are asking for people to donate socks, blankets and jackets so no one is cold this weekend. a man detained in north korea listen landing at sfo just in time for the holidays. merrill newman was released after he apologized for committing hostile acts against the government in the korean war. he says he's grateful to be heading home to the bay area. newman says he feels good and is eager to see his wife. vice president joe biden was in north korea when police offered him a ride home. newman said i'll take the first flight home. a konser survivor became an internet sensation last month. you remember when he came to gotham city for the make a wish

dream. why he's returning to san francisco and whether or not he'll be wearing his cape. [ laughter ] he loves me. he loves me not. he loves me. he loves me not. ♪ he loves me! that's right. [ mom ] warm and flaky in 15, everyone loves pillsbury grands! [ girl ] make dinner pop! [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ pillsbury cookie dough.

make the holidays pop! ♪ we are back on this saturday morning, december 7th, 2013. temperatures really starting to drop here in new york but that is not enough to keep our friends out there on the plaza away. they are spending part of their chilly morning with us and that crowd keeps everybody warm, right? got a lot of warmth in there and our thanks to them for being here. lester is in south africa this morning as we continue to take a look at the life and legacy of nelson mandela. ahead this half hour we will introduce you to the second grader who matt lauer calls his

new favorite kid. he is trying to do his part to make sure everyone has a buddy at recess. acupuncture and laser treatments not just for humans any more. a growing number of veterinarians across the country using alternative therapy to help sick pets get better. the question, though, do they work? we will take a look at that. later, lindsey vonn hitting the slopes. we will take a look how she did and how she is feeling. we begin this half hour with you, lester, in south africa. the iconic photo from one of the most important times in south africa's history. i know you have a really compelling story about that. >> reporter: nelson mandela in prison 13 years when high school students in seweto here. he was going to remain in prison another 14 years that protest

marked a turning point in this country's direction and also how the world perceived what was going on here. it was one teenage boy, as well as a photo that became symbols of the need for change. the young girl is antoinette peterson. the bloodied and lifeless boys in the arms of a stranger is her 13-year-old brother hector. it was june 16th, 1976, the day the seweto uprising began. >> it was plus/minus 20 thousand. can you imagine the number raining and making it more confusion? >> reporter: it began as a peaceful protest by high school students against a government policy requiring them to learn in african the minority of the white student government. >> we want to conconvey the message. >> reporter: you had no idea you were in danger that day? >> not at all.

not at all. it was a peaceful march and just going to convey or message. >> reporter: then bullets and tear gas fired by the police and young hector who wasn't supposed to be there and other scores of people were killed on that day. >> i could see myself on the other end crying in desperation. the next moment, i was at the clinic. i couldn't believe that happened then. i was in disbelief. >> reporter: the march became an uprising and seminole moment in the battle against apartheid. there is a permanent marker on the corner where hector peterson died just outside the school. it was no coincide. a student up rising began in this part of seweto. it's just a few blocks from where nelson mandela lived and though he was in prison at the time, he remained a huge influence in this neighborhood and his life story served as a call to action. >> i think the uprising was because of him, because we knew

that he is serving so much years in jail. let us do something. >> reporter: the upright siding would claim hundreds of lives before it was over, but it would also severely damage the apartheid government and rally world opinion against it. >> our own self-interests in an africa that lives in peace and -- harmony and abiding commitment to peace and world order, permit us no other course. >> reporter: today in seweto, high school students too young to have known a life under apartheid visit the hector memori memorial. it is their history. >> so that we can forget about it, we never can and try to live with it and make peace and over and above everything else, things are getting better. >> reporter: a testament to the legacies of a young boy and a beloved leader. nelson mandela, you saw there,

was honored was replica statue of that iconic hector peterson photo in 2006. that same year, then senator barack obama visited the memorial and met with antoinette peterson, clearing a sign of how important that 1976 protest was in movement to end apartheid and free nelson mandela. we will have more from here shortly but back to new york with another check of the forecast from dylan. >> good morning, lester. we have chris' birthday. you left your husband at home? >> i did. >> i appreciate you're decked out for him. chris in virginia, happy birthday. i'm sure you're enjoying peace and quiet. better conditions in new york city although it's not going to last but where it is cold, it is bitter cold. look at the windchill warnings all up and down parts of the northern plains, back into even eastern washington. it is so cold and so windy out that way, it feels like 29 degrees below zero and helena,

montana. i don't even know what that feels like. it is so brutal out that way and that cold air is even stretching down into dallas where it feels like 8 degrees this morning and amarillo, texas, feels like 10 below. when you toss in that wind it makes things so much colder. we are going to see a big storm system in california bring some snow into the rockies especially later on this afternoon and into this evening that's a look at t hey, thank you. good saturday morning to you. we had quite a bit of rainfall come through while you were sleeping. at this point, as temperatures drop, cold air trailing behind the front that came through. we are seeing low snow levels. most of the activity is pushing out of the area. the western facing slopes getting a bit of the white stuff this morning. because we picked up so much rain, it's very cold out there. please travel cautiously. that is your latest forecast. ahead, the bench that is turning out to be a cure for

playground loneliness. we will speak with a second grader who is making sure everyone has a seat and a friend during recess. ♪ ♪ by the end of december, we'll be delivering ♪ ♪ through 12 blizzards blowing ♪ 8 front yards blinding ♪ 6 snowballs flying ♪ 5 packages addressed by toddlers ♪ ♪ that's a q ♪ 4 lightning bolts ♪ 3 creepy gnomes ♪ 2 angry geese ♪ and a giant blow-up snowman ♪ that kind of freaks me out [ beep ] [ female announcer ] no one delivers the holidays like the u.s. postal service. priority mail flat rate is more reliable than ever. and with improved tracking up to 11 scans, you can even watch us get it there. ♪ you can even watch us get it there. i mustn't forget your wife? mrs. claws no, uh... my cat! [female announcer] celebrate the joy in giving! save 30% on hundreds of items, including holiday value packs and exclusive holiday collections. this weekend only, at petsmart®.

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its breakthrough formula changes everything. ♪ ♪ can you barbeque a turkey? ♪ when 8-year-old christian bucks took a trip to germany he saw something in an elementary school there and he immediately knew it was something he wanted his own school to have back at home. it's called a buddy bench. it's a place for a lonely kid to

go to tell other kids he is looking for a friend. christian, his mom allison, and his school's principal, matt miller, are all with us on the buddy bench at roundtown elementary in york, pennsylvania, that christian helped to get there. nice to have you all with us. good morning. >> good morning to you, erica. >> christian, tell us a little bit about this bench. you saw it in germany. how does it work for kids on the playground? >> if they are feeling lonely and don't have anything to do, they go sit on the buddy bench and someone will come and ask if they want to play or talk with that kid. >> so have you seen it? have you seen it working at your own school there? the bench that you're sitting on this morning, do you see kids using it? >> well, it's not actually like on our playground. like it's not out yet. so like kids can't use it yet. but after the weekend, they can start using it. >> this is pretty exciting, because not only will kids at

your school have a place to go, but you've inspired people across the country, christian. what does that feel like? >> really good. i'm just really happy that other schools across the country are -- might get -- might have a buddy bench at their school. >> it's a nice way to think of others and to help fill their buckets, if you will. now it's something we talk at my southern's elementary school, making sure you're doing something good for other people. alison, when christian came to you with this idea, what did you think? >> he honestly actually came to the school with it first once he saw it. he thought that he should tell his teacher about it because he thought it was a really neat thing. he received encouragement from her and then decided to talk to mr. miller about it. we received such positive feedback from them, that they were really the ones that saw it through. >> principal miller, as i understand it, matt is a pretty popular kid there at school.

he's got a lot of friends. so when he brings you this idea, now to see how it's gone viral, this must make you really proud, not only of christian but also of your school community. >> absolutely. that hits it on the head, erica. we try to set up an environment where the kids feel safe and comfortable and they can bring ideas like this. we call it a hope and dream and christian is your made a hope and dream and we made it come a reality and we try to empower the students. it's through classroom philosophy. >> at other schools around the country, what is your dream of a buddy bench? >> that there will be a lot of friendships made and other kids will just have a friend to play with. >> wow. that is a great hope and a great dream to have and it looks like you are starting to process for kids across the country. nice to have you all with us. christian and allison bucks and

principal matthew miller, thank you again. >> thank you so much, erica. up next, would you ever bring your dog to acupuncture? maybe if fido is in pain? would you consider it? we will let [ laughter ] [ grunts ] kids today. everything needs a battery. oh, hank. merry christmas. oh! hold on now. kay jewelers? looks like we got us a young man here. [ female announcer ] the charmed memories collection at kay jewelers. hundreds of charms hand-crafted in italy. turn your special moments into charmed memories. get this free bracelet or a charm valued up to $45 with any charmed memories purchase of $100 or more. at kay, the number one jewelry store in america. that's long enough, son. ♪ every kiss begins with kay colgate optic white dual action shines and whitens over 2 shades more than a leading whitening toothpaste. and whiten even more, with optic white mouthwash and the whole colgate optic white line.

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humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. seriou sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. make the most of every moment. ask your dermatologist about humira, today. clearer skin is possible. ♪ this morning on "today's" pets, we are taking a look at alternative medical treatments like medicine for people, healing pets has come a long way

and comes in a lot of different forms. our animal advocate jill r rappaport take a look at this. nice to see you. >> nice to see you too. all of us animal owners know there is nothing more heartbreaking than having a sick pet because they can't tell us what is bothering them. in the past, some conditions were thought to be untreatable, until now. 7-year-old chloe is putting one paw in front of the other. amazing progress for a dog with a disc problem who was completely paralyzed just a few months ago. >> when we first brought her in, she wasn't using her legs one bit. >> reporter: her recovery? the result of alternative treatments at new york's animal medical center. dr. lay lani alvarez runs the rehab program. >> it's not a voodoo medicine. there is a very legitimate

medical effect these therapies are having. >> reporter: water to increase mobility. laser treatments to help with pain. and acupuncture, complete with spa music and a zen fountain thichlt. >> th>> they relax and get increased circulation and these are pressure points for the spine. they are known acupuncture points known for thousands of years. >> reporter: chloe is so relaxed, she falls asleep. dr. alvarez say people are choosing more alternative therapies to treat their four-legged fans. >> physical therapy and acupuncture and thermal therapies and have nothing to lose but everything to gain. >> reporter: it offers a form of energy healing. therapeutic ultra sounds and ball exercises to help reduce pain and increase mobleility. the result can be remarkable.

>> owners have lost all hope and they are able to walk out and use their back legs and the full capacity they were before, that is the best thing! >> oh! >> reporter: giving hope. >> the first time i saw her walk, i mean, i cried! >> reporter: and helping ailing animals get back on their feet. so worth it. now these treatments can be costly. one acupuncture session can run up to a hundred dollars apiece but for the pet parents who have seen the result, erica, they say it is so worth it. i know i've tried the water therapy at home with one of my dogs with knee injury. i would hold her under her stomach and she would paddle around the water. >> you call myself as a pet parent. not an owner. jill, nice to have you here. great piece. thanks. ahead this morning, she is

not letting anything slow her down. lindsey vonn in her first competition since her knee injury. how did she do do? we will tell you about that coming up. first, this is "today."

♪ we want to update on a story we told you about last week. pittsburgh steelers mike tomlin, the head coach, i know you saw this. dylan is in the orange room with us with more. >> we showed thaw video last weekend where mike tomlin was looking at at the jumbotron and his back to the game and kind of stepping over the sideline and colliding with jacoby jones. the question was, was it accidental or intentional? a lot of people saying it was intentional. the nfl agrees. he was fined $100,000. pocket change to him but still fined nonetheless. he says i take full responsibility for my actions and apologize for causing

negative attention to the pittsburgh steelers organization. i accept the penalty that i received. he said he was embarrassed and inexcusable but stressed it was not intentional. when you make an jooi liapologyy it's not intentional? >> i'm sure he is paying close attention to where he is standing this sunday for all of those moments. >> coaches sometimes do that. and then apologize for it. all i'm going it say. >> maybe it goes in with that whole, you know, better to ask for forgiveness than permission? not that we would know anything about that. not that we would know anything about that. >> ♪ ♪ nothing says, "you're my #1 copilot," like a milk-bone biscuit.

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nature valley. nature at its most delicious. good morning to you. looking live at the bay bridge from the emeryville camera and the bridges, one of the areas where the dangerous cold is really making an impact. the roadways could turn to isolator this morning. i'm kris sanchez along with meteorologist kristen loren. >> good morning, we are still tracking rainfall here in the bay area and low snow levels. i wanted to show you the live view and let you see what came through overnight. we picked up over an inch in parts of the bay area. as we head throughout the morning hours and drop in temperature, we are concerned

about black ice. take it easy out there. until 8:00 a.m. you can see the western facing slopes around san jose getting a dusting of the white stuff. we are not expecting any of it to stick around. it's cool to see that here in the bay area. looking at the democrats that are dropping, 31 in cal stow ga. 37 degrees in petaluma. like i said before, we are going drop off the next few hours. coldest point of the day is sunrise. as we head throughout the morning hours, 43 degrees. the mission could be cool with black ice in places. in san francisco, throughout the morning the cold air is settling in. travel cautiously. we are tracking it for you all morning long. back to you. >> the cold snap showing no mercy, it killed four people. county officials are urging those in the cold to head for shelter. on any given night, there are

more than 7,000 homeless people on the street. the challenge is finding space for everyone with only 650 beds in three shelters. for whatever reason, many refuse to take shelter, instead choosing to battle the elements. all the shelters will remain open through the weekend. they are asking for help themselves. they say if you have any blankets, socks or jackets to donate, they will take them off your hands. a palo alto man detained in korea listen landing in a few hours, just in time for the holidays. merrill newman was released on humanitarian grounds after apologizing for committing hostile acts against the government. newman, arriving at the beijing airport tells nbc news he's grateful to be heading home to the bay area. he feels good and is eager to see his wife. vice president joe biden was in

south korea when newman was released. coming up, batkid returns to the area. the 5-year-old conditionser survivor miles scott became an internet sensation when san francisco turned into gotham city. why they are returning to the city by the bay. that and all the days news coming up at 7:00. right now, here is more of the "today" show.

♪ good morning. it is saturday, december 7th, 2013. finally free. an american war vet held in prison in north korea. he was released late last night. we are live this morning for you with the details. deadly and dangerous. ten people are dead after one storm system brought thick ice and dangerous road conditions. hundreds of flight cancellations. power outages and there is another storm right on its tail. remembering nelson mandela. south africa now in the middle of its ten-day mourning period.

but while some more than the loss of one of the world's greatest leaders, many are celebrating his life and his contributions to history. good morning, everyone. >> i tweeted earlier. erica, i tweeted earlier it's a privilege to be in south africa this time a as this nation mourns but also celebrates the life of nelson mandela. people have come here to his home. this is where he lived in the '40s up into the early '60s and now a museum and become one of the many rallying points for people to express their grief, their memories and their gratitude. we are watching people come along here. what is madiba's loss mean to you? >> he was a hero. he was everything to me. >> reporter: he means a lot for these folks that come out, doesn't it? >> a lot. a lot. >> reporter: the world is thinking about you in south africa. >> yes, thank you. >> reporter: thank you. it's a sense of celebration.

families here. multigenerations. those who experienced the horror of apartheid and those who have certainly reaped the rewards of the compassion and reconciliation that nelson mandela brought to this country is an example of the world. we will have more from here as we continue. let me show you briefly. this is some of the things we have seen today. it's almost like a parade of people walking by and organized. it is a true celebration in a part of this country's legacy and struggle out of apartheid to the modern south africa than ts tod it is today. we will have much more but back to you, erica. we are following back here this breaking news the american war veteran who will now be back home in just a matter of hours. after being held in captivity for six weeks in north korea, ian williams is live in beijing this morning with more on his release. ian, good morning.

>> reporter: good morning, erica. merrill newman is now a free man after north korea deported him on the first available flight out of pyongyang this morning. the 85-year-old u.s. veteran looked relieved and well as he arrived in beijing telling nbc news that he s happy to be free. >> i'm very glad to be on my way home. i can appreciate the tolerance that dprk government has given to me to be on my way. >> reporter: how do you feel now? >> feel good. >> reporter: what do you want to do, first thing? >> go home and see my wife. >> reporter: newman had been detained since late october taking off his departing aircraft at the end of a ten-day tour in north korea. pyongyang says it relieved him because of his age and medical condition and because of an apology for alleged crimes during the korean war. north korea had earlier broadcast his confession on state television although the

clumsy wording suggests it may have been written for him and delivered against his will. the retired finance executive from california walked briskly through beijing airport in the company of u.s. embassy officials. u.s. vice president joe biden, who was in south korea today getting his own view of the north even offered newman a lift home. >> there is sunshine today that mr. newman will return to be reunited with his family. >> reporter: a family that eagerly awaits his return. >> this is a great moment for us as family and will be even better when we have a chance to be back together in a few hours. >> reporter: after passing a brief medical check, newman took the direct route home on a commercial flight this afternoon that will unite him with his family in san francisco in a few hours from erica? >> ian williams, we will boo lao for that. thank you. dangerous storm is blanketing many parts of the country and responsible for at least ten deaths already. that a look at this scene from

above. this is a nasa satellite image showing that huge swath of white. that really gives you a sense of just how large this storm is. mark potter, is he somewhere down there in the white in memphis this morning. there are serious concerns about the freezing cold and thick ice on the ground. mark, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you, erica. memphis had big plans for today but they were dashed by the cold weather that put ice on the plants here. you can even hear it and on the roads, on the trees. they were scheduled to run a big marathon here with some 20,000 runners but they had to cancel it because of the winter blast felt here and around the country. with arctic cold flowing down from canada, oregon was hit hard by heavy snow snarling roads and causing traffic accidents. in california, growers scramble to protect the state's $2 billion a year citrus industry. so far, no major damage has been reported, but losses are expected. tragically in the san francisco

bay area, authorities say they have found four homeless people who were killed by the cold. >> met with the doctors and they informed me that hypothermia played a role in all of the deaths. >> reporter: in texas 80-degree temperatures earlier in the week gave way to freezing conditions now that has closed schools and businesses and left 225,000 people without power. at the dallas/ft. worth airport, more than a thousand flights were canceled friday. the storm marched across the country, this bus in ohio lost control on a slippery street. drivers in arkansas used to warmer conditions also had problems. one person there was killed when a tree fell on his camper. road crews expect a busy weekend. >> we will be out until the roads are cleared up. we will probably still be working till monday because it's just not going to get warm

enough to pelt melt. >> reporter: in kentucky it looks like christmas has come a bit early and in memphis, a music city, even the king himself seems to suffer in the bitter cold. so far, ten confirmed deaths are blamed on the storm and officials here in memphis say they are not letting down their guard even though the system has passed through now. they are expecting another one soon. erica. >> just what you want to hear, one more on the way. thanks, mark. dylan is at the weather wall tracking these storms for us this morning. talk about keeping you busy so far this winter! >> it was amazing to see what was going on in arkansas and impressed that i even got out of arkansas considering that we had just inches of snow on top of a half an inch of ice. but the first storm system, the one that caused all of that icing is now moving away. now we are waiting for the second system which is actually still back in california. we have this area of low pressure that is going to continue to strengthen and right now, it is bring a good amount of snow, especially nick. to the highest elevations out in

california but but as it moves eastward is it is going to push the snow into the rockies and into salt lake city, into the denver area through the day today. eventually snow through the northern plains and western great lakes tomorrow morning. icing will take over tomorrow morning through parts of west virginia and into the carolinas even. then it moves into the northeast. by 10:00 p.m. on sunday, we are looking at some snow in new york city. but eventually it turns over to some rain. so we do have your watches and warnings out in the west for the snow that we are going to see today. but as we go into especially tomorrow, we are looking at perhaps a few inches up to around 6 to 9 inches in central and northern new england but it doesn't take hold until later sunday night. erica? >> thanks. we turn our attention now to soweto, south africa, and to lester. >> reporter: the outpowering of support hasn't slowed down since news of mandela's passing two days as. i certainly have seen it here in soap atow. we showed you a few moments ago the celebrations here but they are growing across this country and michelle kosinski is near the mandela home in johannesburg

similar to what we are seeing seeing here. good morning. >> reporter: they were singing and dancing until three in the morning. even on this second day, what strikes you is the incredible diversity of this crowd. it's almost like an impromptu global village has sprouted up. everyone has a sense of togetherness and palpable sense of community. even this morning the procession continued and flowers and notes and families together. >> this morning, my wife told me we have to go. >> reporter: this little boy drew a picture of a house and trees. he and his mother drove four hours from the village that mandela has helped build. >> if it had not been for him, we couldn't build this. >> reporter: this gathering place has drawn very young and very old. all races and all faiths.

each carrying a personal story, a snapshot of how mandela changed lives here. these two were able adopt their children because of him. this mother says he brought freedom to all races. and deep into the night, crowds kept coming. moved by memory and feeling. >> i have seen apartheid. i have heard about it. i have seen getting into a train and taken back because that was not where blacks should go so they never saw asbestus as huma. i'm glad to see this nation what he has done for his life. >> reporter: what does his message mean to you personally? >> absolutely freedom. absolute freedom. >> i couldn't be a friend of his before and look what happened? we live together within the same suburb. amazing. it's a different world. ♪ >> reporter: this morning, the first song of the day broke out

and people gathered around. bringing tears to this family's eyes. >> feelings. >> reporter: many voices and harmony. >> reporter: tomorrow is supposed to be a national day of prayer. people are encouraged to have their own private gatherings in their homes. this shows no signs of letting up. lester? >> reporter: michelle kosinski in johannesburg. let's send it back to erica. lindsay vonn is still hoping to make it to the olympics in february. her first big test came last night. joe fire is at lake luouise. >> reporter: the temperature is 35 degrees below zero. today, lindsay vonn is scheduled to ski in her second post-injury race after marking her return with race number one. >> now, the moment everyone is

waiting for. >> reporter: the bitter cold temps delayed her race for an hour. that was nothing for her, who had been waiting for nearly a year for this moment. typically fearless, vonn admitted a couple nerves accompanied her down the hill. >> i am just happy to be back. i didn't ski as confident as i normally do. >> reporter: a high-speed crash ten months ago tore two ligaments in her right knee and broke her leg forcing her to undergo major surgery. a partial ligament tear while practicing last month raised fears, would she be ready for sochi? a request he she couldn't answer with absolute certainty last week during an interview with matt lauer on "today." >> i just have to kind of take it day by day right now. i still have time before sochi. >> reporter: she offered up a stronger answer friday. >> looks like no problem for her. >> reporter: with a lightweight brace on her knee, vonn returned to world cup competition at a place dubbed lake lindsey,

because 14 of her world cup wins have taken place here. >> i think is he appeared very well. she had a plan to ski at 80%, 85% and progress into tomorrow's race, get to the bottom with confidence. i believe she did that. >> reporter: in the end, she placed 40th out of 60 racers, while simply finishing might be seen as a victory to many, her competitive drive is clearly pushing her to do more. >> i know it is possible to ski a lot better than i did today. i know i'm capable of winning. obviously, i've done it many times here. i'm going to keep trying. >> reporter: analysts say we will want to key an eye on vonn's knee to see if it is swollen or sore this weekend. the super "g" is on sunday. ? >> did you say 35 below? >> reporter: yes. that is just temperature right now here in lake louise. >> talk about taking one for the team. thank you. go inside and warm up. have some hot chocolate.

let's get a look at some of the morning's other top stories. jenna is back with those. good morning, everyone. u.s. defense secretary, chuck hagel, made a surprise visit to afghanistan today. he landed in kabul amid a standoff between u.s. and afghan leaders over a security agreement that hamid karzai is refusing to sign but hagel's visit likely will have little impact on the deal, because he is not planning to meet with karzai. the pentagon says he is there to thank troops for their service. officials at metro north are working to make changes to the railroad system, that following sunday's deadly train derailment in the bronx. federal transportation officials want metro north to identify areas of track where there are major speed changes. the railway must also overhaul its signal system so it will automatically slow down a train if the engineer does not. nud today's show lost one of its own, 58-year-old jim lovely was

laid to rest on friday. he worked for nbc as a sund lighting expert for more than 20 years. it was the second funeral in two days for victims of the derailment. our deepest condolences to his family. authorities reveal a missing new hampshire teen sent her a letter postmarked weeks after she disappeared. the letter from 15-year-old abigail hernandez last seen on october 9th was postmarked on october 23rd. the fbi says the letter is giving investigators hope although they fear the teen may be in grave danger. bear with me. his resume reads like a chris matt carol, two super bowl trips and one old lombardi trophy and, now, high school state champs. they are going to have to change that. brett favre is the offensive coordinator for oak grove high school which won the mississippi 6-a title friday night.

his daughter attends the school where dad is now kind of "the man." favre said it is not quite like the super bowl but it is awfully close. >> so he is no you kind of like the man. before, he was just some dude that was amazing in the nfl. >> just like the super bowl only different. just a little different. a precursor to their super bowl. dylan dreyer is out on the plaza with a look at your forecast. dylan, good morning again. >> reporter: good morning. good morning, everyone. if a sign tells me to do something, i'm going to do it. i'm going to say hello to ed in newark. why did you leave him in newark? >> he is watching the grandchildren. we love you. welcome back, jen. we are glad you are back. hi, erica. love you. >> reporter: and you want to go shopping so leave the guys at home. we want to see some very, very cold temperatures across almost most of the country. the only warm spot, charleston, south carolina, above average. everyone else will be about

25-50 degrees below average. it is 48 below average in billings with a windchill well down into the minus 30s. that's insane. tomorrow, not much better. 27 degrees below average in billings with a high of only 13. dallas should make it up to 32. it should be about 26 degrees warmer than that. then, miami is going to be the only warm spot across the country with a high of 80 degrees. that cold front clear in the area. the showers in the carolinas will move on out. snow moves out of carolina into the rockies. we could see several inches of snow, perhaps up to good saturday morning to you, i'm meteorologist christina loren. tracking active cells on the radar. look at this that just formed. we are going send a reporter out here live this morning at about 7:00 a.m. we are going show you what it looks like out there. really, our next concern, now that the rain is starting to move out, we picked up over an

inch. we are seeing freezing cold temperatures, so black ice is likely this morning across the bay area. please travel cautiously. that is your latest forecast. >> dylan, thanks. still to come this morning, wonderwoman is headed to the big screen and a lot of people have something to say about the actress who [ male announcer ] campbell's homestyle.

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now gal gadot was in three of the "fast and furious" movies but compared to lynda carter. people have mixed reviews. some people think wonder woman should have had her own movie in the first place. go on our facebook page and tell us what you think. >> why are they upset? >> there is always controversy. you have your vision in your brain and, all of a sudden, it's somebody else and it's not you. you kind of get upset about it. >> is this about you wanting to play wonder woman? >> take is what i was hoping for. i hope when i revealed it, my picture would come up, but no. >> there is always halloween next year, right? >> that's true. >> it could work. >> there are no things when there is controversy. >> something to talk about. #controversy. an american woman's ability to rise on a show in a language she barely understands. first, this is "today" on nbc. did you get chips for the party? nope.

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good morning to you. a beautiful and kind of deceptive picture of the bay bridge toll plaza this morning. it's very cold out. the rain has stopped, but it's creating a different kind of problem as we approach sunrise. i'm kris sanchez along with christina loren. >> good morning to you. i just wanted to start with the radar to give you an indication of how much moisture came through overnight. impressive totals. upwards of an inch in parts of the bay area. now the cold air is settling in. you can see the pink surrounding san jose. we are getting low snow flurries. nothing is going to stick.

it's cool to see that activity across the bay area. if you are heading out and about, travel cautiously. now that we have all that rain on the roadways, yeah, we could see some black ice. 33 degrees, just about at freezing right now in santa rosa. we are really watching the south bay where we fall into 35 degrees in places like woodside. as we get into tonight, thick frost is on the way. another round of temperatures in the 20s and 30s. we are talking about the low 20s. there's a freeze warning in place tonight into tomorrow morning. more on this, of course, today at 7:00. right now, back to you, chris. >> thank you very much. more than dangerous, the cold snap has been deadly. four people have lost their lives from hypothermia. county officials are urging folks in the cold to head to shelter. county officials say, on any given night there are 7,000

homeless people on the streets. the challenge is finding space for everyone with 650 beds and three shelters. for whatever reason many refuse shelter and battle the elements under bridges and on benches. they are asking for people to donate socks, blankets and jackets to help people stay warm through the weekend. the palo alto man detained in north korea for six weeks will be landing at sfo in time for the holidays. merrill newman was released after apologizing for allegedly committing hostile acts to the government during the korean war. newman arrived overnight. he says he's grateful he's headed home to the bay area. he feels good and he's eager to see his wife. vice president joe biden was in south korea when newman was released, offered him a ride home on a private jet and newman

said i'll take the first commercial flight. batkid returns to the area. miles scott became an internet sensation when san francisco was turned into gotham city for his make a wish dream. why the family is returning to san francisco. that and all the news at 7:00. right now, here is the rest of the "today" show. freshen up your coffee. see you in a half hour. [ wind howling ] [ female announcer ] it balances you... [ water crashing ] ...it fills you with energy... and it gives you what you are looking for to live a more natural life. in a convenient two bar pack. this is nature valley... delicious granola bars made with the best ingredients in nature. nature valley. nature at its most delicious.

♪ ♪ baby you light up my world like nobody else ♪ >> way to start the weekend! >> the "today" show! >> we love you. >> welcome back, jenna! welcome back. we are back on this saturday morning. lots of love out here on the plaza. december 7th, 2013. a lot of love for jenna who is back today and she looks awesome. the lady behind us just said that. the pictures are taking out here

oo on the plaza this morning. jenna wolf is not only back but we have her hard at work collecting some of the toys that our fabulous brought in today for our on "today" show toy drive. so great stuff. lester is not here bus on on the plaza because he is in soweto in south africa. we will check in with him in a little bit howl the country is remembering and celebrating nelson mandela and all of his contributions. not july in south africa but he inspired so many across the globe. looking forward to more of that. still to come this half hour, the breakout star of the show "got talent." she is american and from boston and, oh, by the way, she hardly speaks a word of arabic but sings a lot of it very well so on we will take a look at her rise to success there. also ahead, i can't believe

it but the nominees are out for the 2014 grammy awards. a lot of male artists topping the top nominee list. we will check them out and see who was snubbed in our hollywood headlines. >> can i say to the person who gave three anvil's, thank you very much! >> did you like that? >> very nice. >> very nice. this maternity leave thing and you've done, it is quite a trip. let me just tell you. so after nearly four months -- look at that. after nearly four months off leaving my little one at home which is definitely not easy this morning but duty called and answered. tubby time, we are rocking it! >> she is almost 9,000 followers on twitter. >> she is quite the little tweeter, that little one. the thumbs very strong. >> she is already watching you. >> she is. >> you got a video earlier this morning. >> i did. i'm sure she is interpreting everything i say. breast feed soon, blah, blah.

>> i'm hoirungry, come on home. >> this will work out well for all ever us. >> we turn back to lester who has a closer look at the plans for tomorrow which a day of prayer and reflection. >> reporter: it is but a celebratory mood continues here in soweto. this is a youth group drum corps behind me right now. one of the many groups coming out of the streets of soweto today on this unofficial day of celebrating the life of nelson mandela. tomorrow you know will be a day of reflection and prayer. an official day of mourning in south africa. people going to their houses of worship with reflecting on the life of nelson mandela. we are in part of a ten-day period of mourning in this country. on tuesday, there will be an official memorial service in the soccer stadium here in nearby johannesburg. nelson mandela will lie in state three days after that. the actual funeral will be a week from this sunday.

a number of heads of state will be coming to south africa over the coming days to pay their respects and continue this very, very moving tribute. this is a sense we are seeing. the mandela house behind me where he lived many years of his adult life and now a museum. you've got children and families and people who experience south africa during apartheid and after. you've got a lot of tourists here who are are walking the streets because these streets are filled with such a sense of history. there was bloodshed on these streets in the name of the anti-apartheid movement and people here are now experiencing that. it is almost a living history lesson, especially for the young people who are hearing the reflection of their elders here who remember when nelson mandela was here. we send it back down to dylan and a check of the weather. dylan? >> thanks, lester. good morning. remember last weekend is in the big game with one second left? you guys were there! >> we were there! >> what was it like being there? >> amazing. >> i can't even imagine on tv,

it was out of control! but to actually be there that is unbelievable. let's take a look at the weather maps. we are going to see a pretty cold day across a good part of the country. temperatures not even getting above zero through the northern plains with your feels like temperature about 30 something below. we are going to see some snow move out of california and eventually into the rockies. but we are going to get a break in the midwest today from oklahoma into arkansas where we are not going to see any melting of the snow or the ice because it's so cold, but tomorrow more lighter snow moves in but most of the ice will move up into southern ohio and pennsylvania and even into the carolinas and virginia. then eventually some snow makes its way into new york city by good morning to you. take a look at what came through the bay area overnight, likely while you were sleeping. we are still tracking low snow levels. a lot of this is not going to stick around. still getting action on the radar. mostly the southern end of the peninsula to the south bay. this is all going to clear out

of here throughout the day. skies are already starting to clear nicely. here is a live look at san francisco, 46 degrees. travel cautiously especially in the north bay where the temperatures are still in the 30s. i love the plaza this time of the year! so many people around. today's top spot not too far away up to our affiliate in hartford, connecticut. the lego lover dream come true with three acres of all things legos! life sized models and hands on exhibit and if are nearby, make a stop in hartford today. erica, i'm sure you have the connecticut connection and something your kids would love. >> we love legos and i'm from connecticut and next year, we have to make that happen. thanks. an american singer is hitting a high note these days and stealing the show on one of

the middle east most popular reality tv shows and tonight she could be crowned the winner after spending weeks facing off against the other contestants all while singing in a language she doesn't even understand! we have our reporter in cairo with more on her story. this is getting attention worldwide, duncan. >> good morning, erica. >> reporter: this show is huge and it's broadcast across the arab world and tonight tens of millions of people will sit down for the live final broadcast out of lebanon but cheering for a girl from massachusetts. shea is an all-american girl from boston who just might win a talent show in beirut. she is wowing the audiences in the arab world. >> you were more brilliant than any person that i ever heard. >> reporter: performing classic songs on "arab's got talent." ♪ >> reporter: it's just one catch.

she barely understands a word of what she is singing. ♪ >> when i want to learn a song, i hear a song i like aenlook up the lyrics online or i have a friend write them for me. >> reporter: the 23-year-old music grad first learned how to sing arabic music in college. she was studying in morocco when she heard about the arab's got talent auditions and decided to take the plunge. listeni [ speaking in foreign language ] >> sorry? >> what is your name? >> jennifer. >> reporter: at first, the audience laughed at jennifer. ♪ >> reporter: then she won them over. >> jennifer, jennifer, jennifer, jennifer, jennifer. >> reporter: the judge tells her she sings better than most arab singers. ♪ >> reporter: jennifer is so good, social media is full of theories she might actually be

an arab pretending to be an american. >> yeah. that is actually extremely flattering. of course, it's not true. i am american. i don't speak arabic, at least not the dialects that i sing in. >> reporter: jennifer's competition tonight with be arabian performers. her talent for playing this instrument, a complimented middle eastern instrument. here we go. >> okay. >> reporter: what do you think? >> i don't know if you have a future in music. >> reporter: you think picking your harsh judging. no talent here, i think. jennifer comes from a musical family but even they e stunned by her success. >> she's an amazing young woman. we are really, really proud of her. >> reporter: when jennifer steps out on the stage tonight, her family will be watching back home, along with tens of millions of viewers across the arab world rooting for this american girl.

she sounds so good in arabic, it's absolutely incredible. jennifer told me whatever happens tonight, she already feels like a winner. erica. >> such a great story. duncan, thanks. up next, a wrap-up of the 2014 grammy nominees in our ♪ i'll call y♪u in a little bit. google... how do i get home? getting directions. ♪

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leading the pack with the 2014 grammy nominations and hollywood remembers nelson mandela. so nice to see you. >> nice to see you too. always good to see you. >> always. there is this outpouring across the globe but a lot of people in hollywood weighing in their thoughts and feelings about the passing of nelson mandela and his contributions and some of the people who portrayed him. >> everyone from morgan freeman to sidney portier have something to say. 7 million tweets about nelson mandela's passing on thursday alone. 7 million. >> just on thursday. also we should point out too there is a movie out about his life right now. idris elba is playing him in this film "mandela long walk to

freedom." >> he apparently saw the movie and gave it a thumb's up. idris is buzz for the oscar but right now. everyone says he definitely will get a nomination. they usually focus on one part of mandela's life but this gives awe broad overview. >> i probably imagine more and more people given the circumstances will turn out to see it in theaters. >> it opens on christmas. i think families will go in droves to see it. >> at the film premiere on thursday night, two of nelson mandela's daughters were at the premiere and that is when he they found out their dad had passed. >> it is true but they asked them to continue play the film. i think that was important. it gave the people watching the movie a chance to celebrate his life and watch the movie. >> we mentioned the grammy nominations. at a concert, jay-z is leading the pack. nine nominations.

always a few big wins and a few snubs when it comes to nominations. >> i don't know what happened, but best album of the year, justin timberlake's not to be found. bruno mars, not nominated. i don't understand what happened. >> you were a little surprised at lord you thought got snubbed at best new artist. i love this girl. >> i do too. a great story and no one knew where she was and she is only 16 and dominating the charts. sarah berelis was shocked she was nominated. she took for twitter saying i never thought this would happen. i'm shaking and best birthday ever! >> a lot to watch for. p. nice to have you here. thanks for coming in. up next she is not just jenna's girl. oh, no. >> you like that? >> probably one of the sweetest

moments ever watching lester singing "my girl" to harper. jenna fills us in on their workouts and how amazing life with harper is. first, this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] i like to mix things up a bit

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the place to find quality, affordable coverage. financial help for those in need. and nobody can be denied because of a pre-existing condition. enroll now at coveredca.com. ♪ ♪ owner baby >> after three and a half months our girl jenna is back with her own story to tell from her maternity leave with baby harper. >> contrary to most people think my maternity leave was not spent texting with lester or working on my tan. i quickly learned getting your mind and body and wit back in order after childbirth is an adventure in itself. feedings and naps and diaper changes and that was just me! three months go fast when you're falling in love with a new little soul. >> reporter: so maternity leave is over, harper. how do you feel about mommy

going back to work? it is this incredibly fulfilling act living to another person and watching them take it all in and bon bonding. it's just this crazy, crazy venture and i guess somehow, some way that becomes motherhood. on august 21st, 2013, harper estelle graced us with her frenfren presence. she has a funny soul, this one. that morning when i announced i was pregnant on the years seems like years ago. i'm actually pregnant. i'm quite pregnant actually. >> yea! >> reporter: litet's see what w got here. before i had harper i had this entire thing mapped out. i did my homework literally with everything from baby food to baby classes. everywhere a wolf, wolf! guess what? there is no plan when you are raising a child. you should literally take any plan you have and toss it.

are you ready for bath time, baby? the best thing you can do is create these little schedules. smile harps. the last three months have been literally about taking pictures and taking more pictures and taking even more pictures again. at least i don't obsess over it, so that is good. i've also been working my way back into shape. three, four. sometimes with harper. and sometimes just with the desire to lose the baby weight which turned out to be harper. this is precious time. this is time that stephanie and i both know we are not going to get back, so we really go out of our way to make sure we do things as family with harper. what surprised me the most, i still don't know -- i guess it's how well harper and i have learned to communicate with each other. did you fall asleep? she is such a people person. >> you like that? >> kind of like her mom. and not just with adults.

the babies really love her, in my opinion, of course! so here is what i've come to learn. life is no longer just about me. it's just not. and it never will be again. i don't care what they tell you, none of this is easy. but every morning i wake up, i walk into a room, and i look at her and i just know we did it right, you snow i know we did something amazing absolutely right. i love you so much! lover you. it goes without saying having a baby is the most amazing thing anyone can do. you know it and anyone who has had a baby knows it's the most beautiful thing in the world and i'm so blessed to have her in my life. hey, j . >> hey, jenna? >> lester, are you there? >> do you see how fast she has grown and how fast it goes? everybody says it goes by

quickly and don't you get it now how fast it goes? >> you said from the beginning take every single moment and appreciate it and i have. it's been three and a half months already. i don't know where the time has gone, but it's lovely. i love every minute of it. >> she is gorgeous. >> thank you, lester, thank you. >> thank you for the way you shared her with all of us too. she is such an incredible little baby and just to see you and steph and your family together, i mean, it makes us so happy but the joy that you guys have in your eyes when you are with your little girl is just a beautiful thing. >> tears in your eyes! you are an emotional person now! >> you know it takes a lot to render me speechless and this little thing renders me speechless more often than that. it is the most beautiful thing in the world. >> can you bring her to work tomorrow? >> tomorrow, sure. >> you bring her by very soon. >> i definitely will. get home well, lester. >> wait until i get back. we will be back with more in a moment, but, first, these messages.

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life with crohn's disease ois a daily game of "what if's". what if my abdominal pain and cramps come back? what if the plane gets delayed? what if i can't hide my symptoms? what if? but what if the most important question is the one you're not asking? what if the underlying cause of your symptoms is damaging inflammation? for help getting the answers you need, talk to your doctor and visit crohnsandcolitisinfo.com to get your complimentary q&a book, with information from experts on your condition. you give them the giggles. tylenol cold® helps relieve your worst cold and flu symptoms. but for everything we do, we know you do so much more. tylenol cold®. we want to say thank you to all of the folks here in soweto. a real sense of community here. i want to thank you. you're 13 years old and we

turned you into a stage manager today. very good. >> lester, we look forward to more from you tonight on "nightly news" and good morning, coming up next on today in the bay, deadly cold. how you can help the outreach effort for our communities most vulnerable people and what to watch out for once you hit the roadways. we have live team coverage for you. the 85-year-old palo alto veteran held in south korea is about to land in san francisco. the reason the government gave for his release. and that kid is back. what is drawing the cancer survivor, turned superhero back to the bay. today in the bay begins in a few moments. [ wind howling ]

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good morning to you. looking live at the sunrise over oakland this morning. a very cold start to the day. our weather tells us sunrise is just about as cold as it gets. thanks for joining us. i'm kris sanchez.

we have team coverage of the winter weather advisory. we begin with christina loren. >> good morning to you and to you at home. while you were sleeping, we picked up quite a bit of rainfall in the area. the temperatures are falling off. we are still getting a little bit of pink here. on the radar, a little white as well. it's very light snow flurries coming down at low elevations this morning. down to about 500 feet, in fact. it's a pretty rare sight here in the bay area. i want to widen out and give you an idea of how much came through the bay area. heavy rain, come cities picked up to an inch. for the morning hours, this is heading to the south. i want to point out, saturday is a big travel day. if you are trying to get into southern california, it could shut down the grapevine. we are watching for that. as we head out the morning hours, the skies are clearing. all the warmth radiate